The Stream flows faster naturally as you live more and more life and, as a result, you generate more and more desires. You don't necessarily have to allow those desires though.

Let's look at the different cases possible.

• Slow Stream, Resisted and Slow Stream, Allowed.

When the stream is flowing slowly, it really doesn't matter how much resistance you have.

Abraham have an analogy where they say that a car travelling five miles an hour hitting a tree is much less of a problem than a car travelling 100 miles an hour and hitting a tree. This also explains why many people with generally resistant attitudes towards life don't suffer much, despite that resistance - because they don't have that much desire flowing through them.

An extreme example of this would be someone who goes to the same, boring (in their view) job in the same office with the same people, comes home and eats the same meal everyday, watches TV, then goes straight to bed. And then repeats the cycle for the next 40 years. The Universe will still find a way to generate some desires in that person's life but the scope for new and fresh desires will be limited.

This is also the state that many religions and philosophies guide people towards. The reasoning is that if you don't have much desire, it isn't going to be painful if you are resisting them.

There is some logic to this but there is a hidden problem with this approach (see below).

• Fast Stream, Resisted.

This is someone who is more engaged in life, plenty of desires are pulling lots of energy through them but that person is resisting many of those desires.

This is a situation that many people end up in, as they get older. They have resistant attitudes which didn't matter much when they were younger because their stream was slow.

But as they've lived more life and launched more desires, their stream has started flowing faster and faster naturally. Now those same resistant attitudes are going to become more of an issue. It's also why most people get grumpier as they get older :)

This is the example of the car travelling at 100 miles per hour and hitting a tree. In extreme cases, this fast-flowing stream coupled with high resistance can take a huge physical toll on the body. This is where you get terminal illnesses (such as cancer), heart attacks, strokes etc.

I think many high-profile media celebrities are in this area, especially rock stars and film stars. For whatever original reason, they built up fast-flowing streams, manifested unusual lifestyles, and caught the public's attention as unique people. They are now in the limelight constantly, they have public images to live up to, their lifestyle now naturally launches many new desires for them on a daily basis, but many of them still have those old resistant attitudes.

So, to compensate for the pain (of resistance) they are now increasingly feeling, they turn to drugs, drink, sex, and end up in self-destructive behavior patterns which (because of their high-profiles) end up being paraded in full public view and then cause even more resistance for them because they rely on the public for their success.

Doesn't sound like a fast-flowing stream is a good idea, does it? But see below...

• Fast Stream, Allowed

The problem with having a Slow Stream is that it is not what life is about - there is no true feeling of satisfaction in a slow stream, only a bit of relief from resistance. We incarnated to experience life with a Fast Stream, and to experience that fast ride down the river.

I believe that this is what the popular quote Ships are safe in port but that's not what ships are for is hinting at.

Think about the difference between the first case of someone having the same routine for 40 years compared with, say, a professional Formula 1 racing driver who risks their life at every event. If you are honest with yourself, there is a part of you that would choose the thrill and excitement of the risk every time even though you might not openly admit that.

That's the thrill of a fast-moving stream.

We always intended to get fully-engaged in life, launch plenty of desires, and then find a way of allowing the energy of those desires to flow freely through us.

The risks (of resistance) are high here but this is the only place where you truly feel alive. It's where life becomes an adventure, and you finally discover for yourself the value of having a never-ending procession of new desires.

This is where true joy and passion reside - and that's what we are all seeking in life.

Allowing a fast-flowing stream is as good as life gets.